


A Human Life

by boredomsMuse



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fantasy AU, Gen, inspired by a thing on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:36:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22979986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boredomsMuse/pseuds/boredomsMuse
Summary: Roman isn’t normal.  None of his family is.  Except Remus.…Okay so maybe ‘normal’ isn’t the right word.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders
Comments: 2
Kudos: 79





	A Human Life

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Five Wolves, A Baby & His Changeling Twin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22959358) by [MagpieMorality](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagpieMorality/pseuds/MagpieMorality). 



> Inspired by a conversation i was having with [@magpiemorality](https://magpiemorality.tumblr.com/) on tumblr [about this short thing that they wrote](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22959358/chapters/54882106) which is amazing and you should definitely read it.
> 
> Hope you enjoy

Roman isn’t normal. None of his family is. Except Remus.

…

Okay so maybe ‘normal’ isn’t the right word.

Human. Human is what Roman’s going for. Remus is human.

Roman is not.

Which is why Roman lives in a mansion in the middle of the woods, a good day’s ride from the nearest town. Far away from any humans who might deem him dangerous, or worse. Safe in lands that Virgil has long since claimed as his own, safe where even other fae cannot touch him.

The only time he leaves the protection of his home is when they need supplies, usually once a month occasionally more often. Taking one of the horses, he’ll ride to that nearby town and purchase what they need. The townsfolk overcharge him and look at him with suspicion but they deal with it because Logan is a powerful witch who would stop helping their sick and their crops and their weather should they harm him. Still, they do not like it and they make that well-known. And Roman puts up with it because he’s not human, it’s only right they wouldn’t trust him.

But Remus?

Remus is human. And still he lives far from his own kind, still he is treated like an outsider and a threat.

And it’s Roman’s fault.

Virgil disagrees, as does Remus. They say Roman didn’t ask to be created anymore than Remus asked to be born. And yet guilt so often swirls in Roman’s gut. Especially when they visit the town and Roman spies children having fun, friends gossiping, lovers going for a midmorning stroll. All that joy dies when Roman and Remus arrives and it’s just not fair.

Remus should have had that. This should have been his life. A little village with people that will grow old with him. A meaningful life where he could do anything, be anything.

Instead Remus is doomed to the isolated fate of an immortal, all the while he will age and grow around people who have no sense of time. Who understand that life is short only in theory. 

All because Roman is a changeling, created so the fae could steal Remus away. All because something went wrong. They’ll never know what, not unless they track down the fae that created him. Which he’d rather not do, considering they’ll be less than happy to see him. A failed changeling raised by a vampire. The horror of it all.

Virgil’s always said the fae must have been interrupted. For some reason they were forced to leave Roman without taking Remus. Unable to tell changeling from child, the humans chose to abandon them both rather than risk raising the wrong one. Lucky for them, Logan had been passing through town at the time. It was him who brought them to Virgil, and Virgil who raised them afterwards.

Thinking about it, Roman acknowledges that it all worked out in his favour. Life here sounded much better than life in a human town would have been.

For him anyway.

For Remus it’s like he was stolen away anyway. He could have had a normal human life, like he should have, now he never can.

“I thought I heard you thinking somewhere.” Roman doesn’t move at the voice despite Virgil’s silent entrance. His eyes stay firmly on the window, from which he’s watching Remus and Patton. His mind stays on thoughts of what Remus’ life could have been.

Would he have siblings? A partner? Friends to grow old with? A career to fill his days?

“Roman.” This time Virgil’s voice is firm enough to draw the changeling’s attention. Looking up, Roman finds Virgil by the window sill he’s claimed. The vampire gestures to Roman’s legs expectantly and Roman moves them, letting Virgil take a seat. “What’s wrong?” He asks once he’s settled.

“I’m fine.” Roman claims, wanting to look away but not wanting to look back to Remus least that give him away.

“That’s not what I asked.” Virgil says and then he waits. He’s learnt a great deal of patience throughout his centuries? Millenia? Roman’s never really known how old Virgil is, just that he’s old enough to have more patience than Roman.

“I think I’ve stopped aging.” Roman finally admits.

“Ah.” Virgil says, like he’s not at all surprised. He probably isn’t. He probably already noticed. “You’re worried about Remus, then?”

“He’s going to grow old.” Roman mumbles. He’s going to die.

“Maybe.” Virgil shrugs. “Or maybe not.”

“You’re thinking of turning him?” Roman frowns, confused. Back when they were kids, when immortality and morality were fun terms they didn’t actually understand, they’d asked Virgil to turn Remus often. He’s always refused, rather firmly at that.

“I’d think about it if he asked.” Virgil admits. “And even if I said no, Patton’s a bleeding heart. He’d give Remus immortality for a hug.”

“I guess…” Roman mumbles. He thinks the thought should fill him relief, knowing he might not watch his brother wither and decay. It doesn’t.

“You don’t want him to be immortal?” Virgil asks, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s not that.” Roman says, pausing to try and figure it out himself. “It’s just… isn’t that still stealing his life?” 

“Maybe.” Virgil admits. “Except I’ve already made Patton swear he won’t grant Remus any immortality until he’s travelled.”

“Lived a human life.” Roman rephrases. That should cheer him up, shouldn’t it? The knowledge that Remus could leave at any time and live that human life he was meant to have. Except it’s not really the human life he was meant to have, is it? 

Oh but that’s not why Roman’s insides are twisting all the worse. No, it’s the thought of Remus leaving that makes Roman want to throw up.

Is that what it’s been the whole time, Roman wonders. The reason for his guilt.

Because he knows his mere existence changed Remus’ life, probably for the worse, and yet he selfishly wants to keep Remus here. In a world he doesn’t belong, because then at least they’re together.

God, he really is horrible, isn’t he?

“You too, you know.” Virgil says, frowning slightly as he watches Roman’s face twist. 

“Huh?” Roman frowns, momentarily confused out of his negative spiral.

“I want you to travel too.” Virgil clarifies. It just confused Roman further.

“Me?” He repeats. “But I’m not human. I’m like you, shouldn’t I just stay here?”

“Just because you aren’t human doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore the world Roman.” Virgil says.

“But why?” Roman frowns.

“Because it’s good for you. Because this way you’ll learn what you want in life. All the same reasons Remus should go travelling.” Virgil sighs. “You get so caught up in thinking you stole Remus’ life, you forget yours was stolen too.”

“No it wasn’t. I was never human.” Roman argues.

“But  _ you  _ wouldn’t’ve noticed that.” Virgil points out. “You would’ve just been some happy go kid in some village, living that life you think Remus would have gotten.”

“But it would have been Remus’ life.” Roman claims.

“No, it would have been  _ your  _ life.” Virgil stresses. “You lost the same thing, you and Remus. And I can’t give that back to you. I did my best raising you but I’m a vampire with a lot of territory to control, I couldn’t manage a normal life.”

“You did a great job.” Roman quickly assures.

“No, I didn’t.” Virgil says, although there’s a slight smile to his lips. “I did want I could but raising kids is a lot different to mentoring some new immortal. There was no way I was going to give you two the perfect childhood I wanted to.”

“But-” Roman tries to protest but Virgil raises a hand.

“I’m not saying that because I feel guilty.” He assures. “Sometimes I do, but I know I did the best I could. And I know what was my fault and what wasn’t. You two ending up here? That wasn’t my fault. And it’s not yours.”

“But if I-” Roman tries again and again he’s interrupted.

“No ifs or buts about it Roman.” Virgil says. “It’s not your fault. But if you’re really so keen on blaming yourself, then fix it.”

“How?” Roman huffs. “I can’t change the past.”

“You don’t have to.” Virgil claims. “You can go drag Remus around the world and make sure he has that human life you think he deserves. And if he says he wants to come home and he wants to live forever, you can support him on that.”

“Won’t I just ruin his human life if I’m there?” Roman asks, even though the idea of going  _ with  _ Remus is a lot better than watching Remus go.

“Well I don’t think he’ll go without you.” Virgil shrugs. “So really going with him is the only way.” With that the vampire stands back up and leaves. Roman turns back to the window and to staring at his brother. But instead of thinking of the what ifs, he thinks of tomorrow. Obviously they can’t live a human life in the nearest town, but there are other towns. Towns that don’t know about them. Towns that’ll just think they’re some human travellers stopping by. That’ll work, won’t it?

It won’t be until years later that Roman realizes he was played.

**Author's Note:**

> In case it's not clear:  
> Virgil is a Vampire  
> Patton is a Demon  
> Logan is a Witch  
> Roman is a Changeling  
> Remus is a Human
> 
> and though he's not mentioned, De is a Dragon.
> 
> [ And also heres my tumbles link](https://boredomsmuse.tumblr.com/)


End file.
